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Background We tracked endocrine surgery patients with treatment delays due to COVID-19 to investigate the relationship between physician assigned priority scoring (PAPS), the Medically Necessary, Time Sensitive (MeNTS) scoring system and delay to surgery. Material & Methods Patients scheduled for endocrine surgery or clinically evaluated during COVID-19-related elective surgery hold at our institution (2/26/20–5/1/20) were prospectively enrolled. PAPS was assigned based on categories of high, moderate, or low risk, consistent with the American College of Surgeons’ priority system. MeNTS scores were calculated. The primary outcome was delay to surgery. Descriptive statistics were performed, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated for PAPS and MeNTS. Results Of 146 patients included, 68% (n=100) were female; the median age was 60 years (IQR:43,67). Mean delay to surgery was significantly shorter (p=0.01) in patients with high PAPS (35 days), compared with moderate (61 days) and low (79 days) PAPS groups. MeNTS scores were provided for 105 patients and were analyzed by diagnosis. Patients with benign thyroid disease (n=17) had a significantly higher MeNTS score than patients with thyroid disease which was malignant/suspicious for malignancy (n=44) patients (51.5 vs. 47.6, p=0.034). Higher PAPS correlated well with a delay to surgery of <30 days (AUC: 0.72). MeNTS score did not correlate well with delay to surgery <30 days (AUC: 0.52). Conclusion PAPS better predicted delay to surgery than MeNTS scores. PAPS may incorporate more complex components of clinical decision-making which are not captured in the MeNTS score.

Background: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension; early diagnosis and intervention correlate with outcomes. We hypothesized that race may influence clinical presentation and outcomes.Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with PA (1997PA ( -2017 who underwent adrenal vein sampling (AVS). Patients were classified by self-reported race as black or non-black. Improvement was defined as postoperative decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP), antihypertensive medications (AHM), or both.Results: Among patients undergoing AVS (n = 443), 287 underwent adrenalectomy. Black patients (28.2%) had higher body mass index (33.9 vs 31.8 kg/m 2 ; P = .01), longer median duration of hypertension (12 vs 10 years; P = .003), higher modified Elixhauser comorbidity index (2 vs 1; P = .004), and lower median income ($47 134 vs $78 280; P < .001). Black patients had similar aldosterone:renin ratios (150 vs 135.6 [ng/dL]/[ng·mL· −1 hr −1 ]; P = .23) compared to non-blacks. At long-term follow-up, black patients had a similar requirement for AHM (1 vs 0; P = .13) but higher MAP (100.6 vs 95.3 mm Hg; P = .004).Conclusion: Black patients present with longer duration of hypertension and more comorbidities. They are equally likely to lateralize on AVS, suggesting similar disease phenotype. However, black patients demonstrate less improvement with adrenalectomy; this may reflect a delay in diagnosis or concomitant essential hypertension.adrenal, aldosteronoma, disparities, hypertension, primary aldosteronism, race 1 | INTRODUCTION Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common etiology of secondary hypertension, affecting 3% to 20% of hypertensive patients 1-4 and 14%to 21% of patients with resistant hypertension. 5 Hyperaldosteronism is associated with end organ dysfunction and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, independent of level of hypertension. 6-8 As compared to those with essential hypertension, patients with PA have increased risk of myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, and stroke, in excess of the projected risk related to degree of hypertension alone. 9 Effective control of blood pressure (BP) and aldosterone level lead to improved cardiovascular outcomes. 10 Therefore, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of PA is essential to improve cardiovascular outcomes and minimize end organ dysfunction. Subtype differentiation of PA is an essential component of early diagnosis and treatment. Unilateral causes of PA include aldosteroneproducing adenoma and unilateral hyperplasia, which are potentially The authors have no disclosures.surgically curable, while bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH) is managed medically with mineralocorticoid antagonists. 11 Shorter duration of disease has been associated with improved operative outcomes in multiple studies of subjects with unilateral PA. 12,13 An extensive literature exists on race and hypertension, particularly as it pertains to black patients. 14,15 Racial disparities in diagnosis, prevalence, treatment, and outcomes, a...

Background Racial disparities in surgery are increasingly recognized. We evaluated the impact of race on presentation, preoperative evaluation, and surgical outcomes for patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for PHPT at a single center (1997–2015). Patients were classified by self‐identified race, as African‐American or White. The primary outcome was disease severity at referral. The secondary outcome was completeness of preoperative evaluation. Operative success and surgical cure were evaluated. Results A total of 2392 patients were included. The majority of patients (87.6%) were White. African‐American patients had higher rates of comorbid disease as well as higher preoperative calcium (10.9 vs.10.8 mg/dl, p < 0.001) and PTH levels (122 vs. 97 pg/ml, p < 0.001). White patients were more likely to have history of bone loss documented by DXA and nephrolithiasis. African‐American patients had lower rates of complete preoperative evaluation including DXA scan. Operatively, African‐American patients had larger glands by size (1.7 vs. 1.5 cm, p < 0.001) and mass (573 vs. 364 mg, p < 0.001). We observed similar operative success (98.9 vs. 98.0%, p = 0.355) and cure rates (98.3 vs. 97.0%, p = 0.756). Conclusions At the time of surgical referral, African‐American patients with PHPT have more biochemically severe disease and higher rates of incomplete evaluation. Operative success and cure rates are comparable.

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